B-METS DEFEAT THUNDER 6-4

Cruzado, Bullpen Push B-Mets Past Thunder, 6-4

BINGHAMTON, NY – Victor Cruzado drove in three with a pair of doubles and the Binghamton Mets bullpen combined to toss four scoreless innings in a 6-4 win over the Trenton Thunder on Tuesday night at NYSEG Stadium. Akeel Morris capped the series-opening victory with his third save in as many games.
The B-Mets got on the board first in the second inning. Dominic Smith led off with a single and later came around to score on a Cruzado double, putting Binghamton ahead, 1-0.
Trenton fought back with a pair in the third Cito Culver and Dustin Fowler each singled then Billy Flemming smacked a two-out double to right, scoring both men to put Trenton on top, 2-1.
Binghamton regained the lead in the bottom of the third, thanks in part to control issues by Ronald Herrera. Derrik Gibson was hit by a pitch, Niuman Romero walked and Jayce Boyd was hit by a pitch, loading the bases with nobody out. Smith scored Gibson with a sacrifice fly and Cruzado doubled in Romero and Boyd, making the score 4-2.
The B-Mets added one more in the fourth when Boyd knocked in Gibson with a single. Trenton got two back when Mark Payton cranked a two-run homer in the fifth. Binghamton extended the lead to 6-4 in the fifth as Phillip Evans singled home Matt Oberste.
Casey Delgado (4-2) picked up the win with four strikeouts in five innings of four run ball. Herrera (5-4) was the loser after surrendering six runs on seven hits in five innings.
The Binghamton bullpen combined for four shutout innings, capped by a 1-2-3 ninth by Akeel Morris, who earned his sixth save and his third in as many games.
Cruzado finished 2-for-4 with three RBI, Gibson was 1-for-3 with a double and two runs and Smith went 1-for-3 with a run and an RBI.
Game two of the series is set for 6:35 PM on Wednesday with RHP Mickey Jannis opposing Trenton’s RHP Vincente Campos. The Horizons Federal Credit Union Pregame Show can be heard starting a 6:20 PM on News Radio 1290 WNBF and the Binghamton Mets channel on TuneIn.
POSTGAME NOTES: Phillip Evans extended his hitting streak to seven games by going 1-for-4…Alberto Baldonado struck out three over two scoreless innings, his longest as a B-Met…Derrik Gibson has now been hit by a pitch six times, leading the B-Mets.
Season tickets and mini packs are on sale now and may be purchased in person at NYSEG Stadium or by visiting www.bmets.com or calling (607) 723-METS.
Be sure to follow the B-Mets on Facebook, Twitter and at the team’s official website (www.bmets.com) for more team information. Fans can also stay up to date with all the action on the field by visiting “B-Mets Buzz with Tim Heiman” at bmets.mlblogs.com